Mail-box



31. 2S eets 0'. 0. LUCAS & A. D. HARRISON.

MAIL BOX.

No. 595,678. Patented De0.14,189 '7.

UNITED STATES PATENT Enron.

CHARLES O. LUCAS AND ALBERT D. HARRISON, OF GREENVILLE, OHIO.

MAIL-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 595,678, dated December14, 1897.

, A li atio fil d January 25,1897. Serial No. 620,666. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES O. LUCAS and ALBERT D. HARRISON, citizensof the United States, residing at Greenville, in the county of Darke andState of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail- Boxes, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghadtherein to the accompanying drawings.

Our invention relates to an improvement in mail-boxes, designedespecially to prevent the unlawful abstraction of mail-matter therefrom.

The object of the present invention is to improve and simplify theconstruction shown, described, and claimed in Letters Patent No.555,948, granted to us March 10, 1896.

The invention will first be described in connection with theaccompanying drawings, and then pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a perspective view of our improved mail-box,partly broken out to show the interior construction. Fig. 2 is a view inelevation with the side wall of the box-casing removed, the parts beingshown in the positions they occupy when the box is closed against theintroduction of mail-matter. Fig. 3 is a vertical central sectional viewof our improved box, the parts being shown" in a position to receivemail-matter. Fig. 4 is a broken horizontal sectional view, showing thearrangement of the interior parts of the box.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a mail-box, comprising anordinary thin metal casing having the usual hinged door 1, permittingthe collection of mail from the box. An aperture 2, formed in the upperportion of the front wall'of the box-casing, serves to permit theintroduction of mail-matter, this aperture being closed by a door 3,hinged at 4 and provided with a horizontal rib 5, which closely fitsunder the upper edge of aperture 2 when the door is closed, preventingdust, dirt, or the like from getting into the box.

.To the lower edge of the door 3, near each end thereof, is rigidlysecured a downwardlycurved arm 6, so positioned that its forward edgewill rest squarely against the inner surface of the front wall of thebox when the door is closed, as shown in Fig. 2. A depression 7 isformed in the upper edge of each arm 6, near the junction of the arm anddoor, for a purpose hereinafter described.

B represents the receiving-pocket, comprising two side strips 8, rigidlysecured on a shaft 9, pivoted in the side walls of the boxcasing, and aplate 10, connecting the strips 8 on their upper edges, as shown. A pin11 projects laterally from each strip 8 and rests on the upper edge ofthe respective arm 6, for a purpose hereinafter described. The strips 8in their normal posit-ion extend rearward some distance and are thenbent upward, their inner or free ends being of greater width than theirfixed ends. By this construction the upper end of pocket B is projectedthrough the aperture 2 when mail-matter is to be deposited, the enlargedfree ends of strips 8 forming sides of sufficient width to insure theentrance of mail-matter through the aperture 2, as shown in Fig. 1. Therear wall of pocket B is formed by a plate 12, pivotally secured to theside walls of the box-casing by pivotbolts 13. This plate, preferably ofthin metal and curved as shown, extends some distance below and lies inclose proximity to the free ends of strips 8 and is connected to saidstrips by links 14, pivotally secured to the strips and to the plate. Onthe lower edge of plate 12 is secured a thin metal strip 15, its edgebeing projected forward in the form of teeth, as at 16.

One end of shaft 9 projects through the side wall of box A and isprovided with a handle 17, serving to operate the parts.

Assuming the box to be closed against the introduction of mail-matter,when the parts will be in the positions shown in Fig. 2, the operationof our improved mail-box is asf0l-' lows: If it is desired to introducemail-matter into the box, the handle 17 is turned downward, rockingshaft 9, raising the free end of pocket 13, and at the same time, owingto the links 14, swinging the lower end of plate 12 forward. The pins 11move upward along the edges of arms 6, preventing the door 3 from beingopened until the pins ride into the depressions in said arms, at whichtime the upperedge of pocket B will have reached the door 3 andcontacted therewith just beneath the rib 5. A slightly farther movementof handle 17 will cause the pocket to force the door open and thuspermit the introduction of mail-matter, the plate 12 having swung to theposition shown in Fig. 3, with its lower end beneath the lower ends ofstrips 8, the teeth 16 nearly contacting with the inner surface of thefront wall of box A. The mailmatter having been introduced into thepocket B, the handle 17 is released, when the parts will assume theirnormal positions by gravity, the pins 11 riding down the arms 6, closingthe door 3, and the mail-matter dropping out at the open side of pocketB into the lower portion of the box, from which it may be removedthrough the door 1. Through the contact of pins 11 with the arms 6 itwill be seen that the door 3 cannot be opened until the said pins rideinto the depressions 7 in the arms, at which time the pocket B will bein a position to receive the mail-matter, and that when the pocket is insuch position the lower end of plate 12 and the teeth 16 project beneaththe lower end of the pocket, effectual] y preventing the introduction ofany instrument to abstract the mail-matter, and also that theconstruction of the parts renders absolutely certain the delivery to thelower portion of the box A of any mail-matter introduced into the pocketB, this latter result being principally gained by forming the rear wallof the pocket of a plate adapted to swing away from the pocket when theparts assume their normal positions.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a mail-box, a casing having a suitable aperture through whichmail-matter may be introduced,a1')ockct pivotally supported within saidcasin g and comprising a front wall and two side walls, the rear side ofthe pocket being open, and a curved plate pivotally secured in rear ofthe pocket, said plate being adapted to form the rear wall of the pocketwhen the parts are moved into operative position and a top for thepocket when the parts are allowed to assume the normal positions,whereby unlawful abstraction of the mailmatter in the box is effectivelyprevented.

2. In a mail-box, a oasinghaving a suitable aperture through whichmail-matter may be introduced a pocket pivotally supported within saidcasing and comprisinga front wall and two side walls, the rear side ofthe pocket being open, and a curved plate pivotally secured in rear ofthe pocket, said plate being adapted to form the rear wall of the pocketwhen the parts are in the operative positions and to move backward awayfrom the pocket when the parts are allowed to resume the nor-, malpositions, whereby mail-matter deposited in the pocket is guided intothe lower portion of the box by the plate.

3. In a mail-box, a casing having an aperture through which mail-mattermay be introduced, a pocket pivotally supported within the casing andcomprising a front wall and two side walls, the rear side of the pocketbeing open, a vertical curved plate pivotally secured in rear of thepocket and extending across the interior of the casing, and a series ofteeth secured across the lower end of the plate, said teeth beingadapted to move beneath the lower end of the pocketwhcn the parts are inthe operative positions, whereby the introduction of an instrument tounlawfully abstract mail-matter from the box when the parts are inpositions to receive mail-inatter is prevented.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

CHARLES O. LUCAS. ALBERT D. HARRISON. lVitnesses:

H. M. COLE, B. M. ALLEN.

